Inner tube tester



April 17, 1951 A. MOEBES 2,549,222

INNER TUBE TESTER Filed June 10, 1947 HIIHII Illll I" lHlH In IINVENTOR.

Au caus'r M OEBES ATTORN EYS Patented Apr. 17, 19.51

UNITED]STATES PATENT OFFICE INNER TUBE TESTER August Moebes, Vallejo,Calif. Application June 10, 1947, Serial No. 753,680

The present invention relates to improvements in an inner tube tester:and it consists of the combinations, constructions and arrangement of rparts hereinafter described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a device of the characterdescribed that will support an inner tube in substantially uprightposition, and which will allow-the inner tube to be be rotatedci'rcumferentially in a body of water in which the lower portionof thetube is submerged. After thisportion is once placed in the water, thetube maybe turned to allow its inspection. As the tube is rotated,ripples will not form ontthe water, since the'tube is turned circum-.ferentially. This will facilitate the inspection of the tube for leaksinasmuch-as the repairman will have a clear view of the-submergedportion of the tube.

More specifically described, I provide a vertically-mounted standardhaving a rotatable reel adjustably carried thereby. The reel may bedeprested so as to submerge the lower portion of the tube in a tank ofwater. After the repairman has completed his inspection and marked anyleaks that he may have discovered, the reel may the raised again toremove the tubefrom the tank.

A still further object is to provide clamping means for automaticallyholding the tube-carrying reel in any positionto whichit has beenadjustedon the standard. A

. Another object of'my invention is to provide an inner tube testerthat' is simple in'construction, durable and eliicientfor- -the purposeintended and which may. bemanufacturedat a relatively low cost.

Othergobjects and advantages will appear as. the specification.continues, and the novel features will be set forthin thegclaimshereunto appended.

Fofla better understanding of my invention, reference should be had tothe accompanying drawing, forming part of this application, in

which: Figure l is a perspective view of my inner tube testenlo'okingfrom the front thereof;

Figures 2 and 3 are vertical transverse sections taken along the lineII-II and III-III, respectively, of Figure 1; and

Figure 4 is an isometric view of a slide and one of the clamping platesthat I employ, a portion of the standard being shown indot-dash lines.

While I have shown only the preferred form 2 Claims. (01. 73--49)constitutes a support for the reel. The latter may be depressed relativeto the standard so as to submerge the lower portion 1) of the inner tubein a body of water D contained in a tank E. After this portion of thetube is submerged, the reel may be rotated for moving the tubecircumferentially through the water.

A It will be noted that the reel A includes radiallyextending spokes I;the inner ends of which are welded or otherwise secured to a disc 2. Inturn, the disc is fixedto'a hub 3 by welding 4, or other suitablefastening means. The outer end of each spoke is curved to provide an arm5 that is shaped to embrace the inner periphery of the tube Bin themanner shown in Figure 2. When the' tube is inflated, it is supportedvertically on the arms 5 (see Figures '1 and 2).

The'standard C has a slide 6 movable lengthwise thereof and held againstrotation with respect thereto. The slide and standard may be fashionedfrom tubing that is square in crosssection as illustrated'in Figure 4,and this arrangement will prevent the slide from turning on thestandard. The slide' has a trunnion 6a on which the hub 3 isrotatablymounted. The reel B may be rotated circumferentially' duringthe testing operation. 7

In Figure 2, I show the standard C as being welded at 1 tea horizontallydisposed base plate A hook-like clamp 9 is anchored to the standard andengages over the top of the tank E'so as toaid in holding 'the standardin upright position.

Any suitable means may be provided for supporting the base plate 8 andthe tank E so as to present the tankan'd the inner tube at aconvenientworking height fora repairman. For

:thispurpose, I have disclosed a table indicated "generally at F. Thebase plate 8 is anchored to plate G! is arranged above the slide, whilethe of my invention, it should be understood that various changes, ormodifications, may be made within the scope of the annexed claimswithout departing from the spirit thereof.

In carrying my invention into practice, I provide a reel indicatedgenerally at A on which an inner tube B is adapted to be mounted inupright position. A vertically-disposed standard C plate G2 is arrangedbelow the slide. Both of these clamping plates are fashioned withapertures l2 that loosely receive the standard. A

spring Hi interconnects the clamping plates and urges these plates intoangular positions relative to the standard so as to grip the latter.

Referring now to Figure 3, it is obvious that the slide 6 is moveabledownwardly along the standard C when the upper clamping plate GI 3 ismanually swung into horizontal position (as indicated in dot-dash lines)to free its grip on the standard. Likewise the slide is Inoveableupwardly along the standard when the lower clamping plate G2 is manuallyswung into horizontal position to free its grip on the standard.

Lugs I extend from the slide at the top and bottom thereof (see Figures3 and 4). The clamping plates GI and G2 are provided with fingers l6which engage with the lug adjacent thereto. The lugs and fingers providehinge connections between the clamping plates and the slide. The lugs I5and fingers I6 may be omitted when a relatively strong spring I I isemployed. In this case, the clamping plates GI and G2 merely rock aboutthe upper and lower edges I1 and I8, respectively, of the slide.

Having thus described the various parts of my inner tube tester, the usethereof is summarized .briefly as follows: 7

The repairman places the inner tube B over the curved arms 5 of therotatable reel A, as

clearly disclosed in Figures 1 and 2. The upper clamping plate GI ismoved into horizontal position so as to 'free its grip on the standardC. At this time, the slide is moved downwardly along the standard untilthe lower portion b of the inner tube is submerged in the water D to thedesired depth.

As soon as the Water in the tank E reaches a quiescent state, therepairman starts turning the inner tube and Watches for air bubbles toappear. Any leaks discovered in the inner tube are suitably marked, asfor instance with an indelible pencil. It is not necessary for therepairman to 'place his hands in the water D.

When the lower portion of the tube is once submerged to the desireddepth, no further ripples will occur on the water. This is due to thesmooth outer surface of the inner tube being advanced into the water asthe tube is rotated. Thus the repairman has unobstructed observation ofthetube being tested; Any dirt in the bottom-of the tank will not bedisturbed as the tube is rotated. The "water runs off the innerr-tube'and drains back into the tank,

. After the inner tube has been tested and the leaks marked, therepairman swings the lower V l 4 inner tube out of the water. Theclamping plates will hold the'slide in any position to whichit isadjusted relative to the standard. An operator. in using his hands forsubmergin an inner tube in a tank is inclined to hurry his operation dueto the fact that he wants to get his hands out of the water as soon aspossible. This leads to carelessness in finding slow leaks because themovement of the tube into and out of the water agitates the water andcreates bubbles and eddy currents that makes it difiicult to discover aslow leak.

I claim:

1. An inner tube tester comprising a tank for holding water, an uprightstandard mounted adjacent said tank and extending thereabove, arotatably mounted reel disposed over the tank for supporting an innertube in substantially an upright position, a reel-supporting memberslidably carried by the standard and mounting said reel, and clampingmeans mounted on said'reelsupporting member cooperating with saidstandam to automatically maintain the reel and its supporting member inselected positions along the length of the standard. V

2. An inner tube-tester comprising a tank for holding water, an uprightstandard mounted ad.

jacent said tank and extending thereabove, said standard having asupporting member slidably mounted thereon, a reel rotatably mounted onsaid supporting member for "supporting an inner tube in substantially anupright position over said tank, and spring-actuatedcla-mp means mountedon said supporting member cooperating with said clamping plate G2 intohorizontal" position to r free itsv grip on the standard. Thereupon, the

a slide 6 is, raised along the standard until the inner tube B clearsthe topof the tank. It'is natural'for the WOlkHlEtIl' to press down-'wardlyon the clamping plate GI when pushing the inner tube into'thewater, and to lift up- 1 wardly on the clamping plate G2 when raisingthe standard to secure said supporting member and reel to the standardat any selected position along the length of the standard.

' AUGUST MOEBES.

REFERENCES CITED Thefollowing references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS France June 20, 1927:

